Chapter 5 – Title and Permission

Upon hearing that name, Lenoa’s mood plummeted, much like tea that had suddenly gone cold. Her previously hopeful demeanor vanished, and she sat with her head bowed, fidgeting with her fingers.

She had learned that “if the ruler is to leave the palace, they must inform the secretary, and there must be mutual agreement on the division of duties,” and in fact, the only people managing state affairs in the palace were Lenoa and Kairan.

During the time when her father, the king, managed state affairs, not only the secretary but also several vassals like scribes were present in the palace. The better the vassals performed, the higher the king’s evaluation naturally became, so the subordinates of the ruler were important.

As Queen, Lenoa initially intended to keep her father’s vassals. She had no particular desire to bring in new people, and they were the faction that had supported her all along.

However, Kairan opposed this.

‘Your Majesty, you should have her own people.’

Claiming that he was also of royal blood and had learned enough royal studies, he actively opposed bringing the former vassals back to the palace. Even when persuaded about the lack of support or manpower, Kairan insisted that he could do the work of ten people, resolutely opposing it.

In the end, the only politicians in the palace were the two of them.

“Well, then… should I not go?”

Lenoa lay sprawled on the bed, her limbs limp. This position was somewhat comforting during her period.

“But there are no events for a few days… and you haven’t left the palace since the coronation. Maybe you can persuade him?”

Betier, who had been assisting Lenoa since her coming-of-age ceremony, understood her struggles well.

Lenoa had occasionally left the palace for state inspections during her royal studies, but since the coronation, she hadn’t stepped outside the main gate. At best, she had visited the palace gardens.

“Then… even if it’s not allowed, I’ll try to talk about it.”

Lenoa asked Betier to send a message to Kairan. Betier returned quickly, saying he had agreed.

“Thank goodness.”

In reality, Lenoa had almost always refused Kairan’s requests for an audience, often making excuses. She was secretly worried that he might resent her and refuse to see her, so she waited anxiously for Betier’s return.

But now, contrary to her expectations, he had accepted, and Lenoa’s face brightened. She had a feeling he might approve her leave without much fuss. Lenoa reapplied her makeup, which had been removed during her rest, and left the room, climbing the stairs.

Kairan’s office was on the fourth floor. As Lenoa, who had her office and bedroom on the third floor, climbed the stairs, she suddenly thought:

“The secretary is higher up than me, the Queen.”

Indeed, she always felt intimidated whenever she saw him.

On reaching the fourth floor, Lenoa briefly looked around the corridor. He had driven out all the former vassals of the previous king, and he didn’t even have a personal aide or attendant. By custom, a secretary or similar vassal would have at least one attendant to assist them

But there was no one around him. It was as if he regarded all court officials as enemies.

“Even me.”

Lenoa mistakenly thought she was included among the court officials Kairan distanced himself from.

At that moment, she saw a servant carefully closing the door to the office. He was holding a broom and a first aid kit in one hand.

“Did he get hurt…?”

Seeing the first aid kit, Lenoa’s pupils dilated, and she quickly approached the servant, grabbing him. The servant’s name, as Lenoa remembered, was John.

John was startled when the Queen, as beautiful as a flower in the royal garden, suddenly grabbed his humble shoulder. He was momentarily captivated by Lenoa’s beauty and nearly dropped everything he was holding.

Unaware of John’s feelings, Lenoa focused on the broom. It was clear he had just cleaned Kairan’s office. But a first aid kit? Lenoa asked in a hushed voice.

“John, why did you go in?”

“Ah, His Grace the Grand Duke… urgently called me while I was cleaning the corridor… told me to clean this place and bring this kit.”

John barely managed to answer, trembling for some reason.

It was perfectly normal for servants to clean offices. However, according to the servants on the fourth floor, Kairan disliked anyone entering his office or bedroom. If he found servants cleaning his room, he would immediately drive them out. Because of this, servants would secretly clean the room when Kairan was away.

It was strange for Kairan, who prohibited even the cleaners from entering, to have called someone to clean openly.

“Why the first aid kit? Is His Grace inside now?”

“I-I don’t know, I was just told to bring it. His Grace is inside.”

He had been in the room all along but had called a servant to clean it openly, which was unlike Kairan’s usual behavior.

“Moreover, what’s with the first aid kit?”

Worried that he might be injured or unwell, Lenoa finally knocked on the office door. There was a faint presence inside, indicating someone was there, but no voice was heard.

John had clearly said Kairan was there. Although John had been trembling, his demeanor didn’t suggest he was lying. Moreover, John had disappeared like the wind.

After a long silence, Lenoa eventually opened the door herself and entered.

Kairan was seated with his back turned at the desk. His fiery red hair, reminiscent of his temper, was unmistakably his. As she quietly approached, she saw that he seemed busy with something. Despite Lenoa’s entrance, he hadn’t noticed her.

Unable to contain herself, Lenoa called out to Kairan. Her worried, clear voice resonated.

“Um… Grand Duke?”

Kairan’s back stiffened. He slowly turned around and soon met Lenoa’s eyes. He looked unusually flustered.

“D-Did you knock before entering?”

“I did, but there was no response.”

Lenoa answered, trying to smile despite the familiar question. Since her purpose was persuasion, she needed to maintain a warm expression.

“What brings you here? You’ve refused my requests for an audience every time.”

Kairan’s attitude had reverted to how he usually treated Lenoa. He rested his elbows on the desk, clasping his hands with a faint smile. Although it was somewhat arrogant, Lenoa didn’t have the luxury to mind.

“Three days from now, I’d like to visit Viscount Elwen’s estate for two days. I want to see my nanny after a long time.”

“…”

“Now that the Merzen meeting is over and there are no events for a while, I’d like to rest a bit.”

Kairan, who had been watching Lenoa with narrowed eyes, flinched at the mention of Merzen.

He had entered the palace a few days after Lenoa’s coming-of-age ceremony, so he hadn’t met her nanny or the former commander of the knights. He only knew they had become the Elwen Viscount couple.

Lenoa waited, trembling slightly, for Kairan’s response.

“Well, I don’t mind if you go… but two days might be difficult, a day should be fine.”

Kairan spoke as he pulled out a document from beside him and began writing. Though reduced to a day, Lenoa’s heart leapt at the fact that she could go.

However, her excitement was short-lived with his next words.

“As long as you go with me, that is.”

Having written something on the document, Kairan set down his pen and looked at Lenoa calmly, a smile playing at his lips. Flustered, Lenoa stammered.

“No, I was planning to go alone. So until then… I was hoping you could handle state affairs in my stead.”

“Who manages the state affairs of Celesta? Isn’t it just you and me? But while you go off to relax, I’m left alone to handle everything. That’s quite disappointing.”

“You dismissed all the vassals… saying you could handle everything.”

“That was when both you and I were present.”

Kairan smiled gently before continuing.

“If you want to go on a trip, I should set everything aside and accompany you. Just the two of us. I’ll arrange the travel schedule for you.”

The conclusion was that either Kairan accompanied her, or neither of them would go. Unless it was either of those options, permission couldn’t be granted. Lenoa avoided Kairan’s gaze, her head lowered.

As he had said, he was indeed doing the work of ten people. More so than herself, the Queen. But at this moment, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment toward him for working so diligently alone.

Leaving Kairan behind while she went alone weighed heavily on her mind.

“Yes, then let’s go together. Thank you for saying that, Grand Duke Blandi.”

Although she wanted to spend time intimately with just the Viscount couple, in the end, Kairan would be accompanying her. It felt as if she had only received half the permission.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Just as Lenoa turned her back.

“Your Majesty. Just a moment.”

Kairan’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

‘Could it be, has he changed his mind? Is he saying no?’

Her heart was anxious, but an unexpected question came instead.

“Why do you call me that again?”

“W-What do you mean?”

“I mean the title. Why do you always call me Grand Duke Blandi, even when we’re alone, and not Kairan, like during the meeting?”

Only then did she turn around and meet Kairan’s eyes, which held a bitter smile.

Lenoa always referred to Kairan as Grand Duke Blandi. It was similar to how other court members added “His Grace” to the title. She only used his name when it was accompanied by his surname.

In other words, she had never called him by his first name alone, except perhaps during today’s meeting, albeit inadvertently.

“Th-Then, when we go to the viscount’s estate, I’ll… call you by your name.”

Lenoa, not even knowing what she was saying, dashed out of the office.

Click. The office door closed. As the sound of her footsteps faded away, silence quickly settled in.

Only then did Kairan roll up his left sleeve. Just below his wrist, a roughly wrapped white bandage was stained with red blood. Fortunately, it was a wound Lenoa hadn’t noticed.

“In three days… should I look forward to it?”

Glass shards were scattered messily at Kairan’s feet. They were the remains of decorations that the servant hadn’t managed to clear in his hurry to leave.